Manufacturers of earth moving machines have been manufacturing separate machine components depending on whether the components are for use in a heavy-duty application or a light-duty application. As the magnitude of loads and other forces typically encountered in heavy-duty applications is large, machine components that are configured for use in light-duty applications cannot be used to accomplish jobs associated with the heavy-duty applications.
In order to manufacture machine components to different specifications and meet unique load handling requirements associated with heavy-duty applications and light-duty applications, manufacturers often install separate production lines to produce such machine components. Installation and use of such separate production lines may however, entail increased energy, costs, effort, and time associated with production of the machine components.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,442 (hereinafter referred to as “the '442 patent”) discloses a suspension system that includes a laterally extending axle and an arm assembly welded to the axle. The arm assembly includes a longitudinally extending arm body having top and bottom surfaces, an axle connector welded to the axle and an end of the arm body, and a plate extending longitudinally over and welded to the arm body top surface, wrapped about and welded to the axle connector, and extending longitudinally over and welded to the arm body bottom surface.
However, it may be noted the system of the '442 patent is configured for use in suspension systems alone. Moreover, the '442 patent does not disclose a retro-fittable system that can be implemented across various types of machine components. Hence, there is a need for a retro-fittable system that can be used for increasing an amount of stiffness and/or strength in existing light-duty machine components and configuring such light-duty machine components for use in heavy-duty applications.